The 2008 VW Touareg Baja Racer

Volkswagen unveiled their 2008 VW-Red Bull Baja Race Touareg TDI Trophy Truck at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week. Its verbose name doesn't exactly roll easily off the tongue, but the Touareg Baja Racer is no ordinary vehicle, either.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the VW Touareg Baja Racer is the first turbodiesel to take part in the Trophy Truck class. And with a rear-wheel-drive chassis powered by a 542-HP, 5.5-liter V12 turbodiesel engine, the VW Touareg Baja Racer exists not only to make a statement about fuel economy, but to be competitive in the 634-mile Baja 1000.